Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

Incarnations of Mahādeva in Kali-yuga (Vaivasvata Manvantara) and the Nakulīśa Horizon

Devanagari script

श्वेतस्तथा परः शूली डिण्डी मुण्डी च वै क्रमात् / सहिष्णुः सोमशर्मा च नकुलीशो ऽन्तिमे प्रभुः

Transliteration

śvetastathā paraḥ śūlī ḍiṇḍī muṇḍī ca vai kramāt / sahiṣṇuḥ somaśarmā ca nakulīśo 'ntime prabhuḥ

Translation

फिर क्रम से श्वेत, पर, शूली, डिण्डी और मुण्डी; तथा सहिष्णु और सोमशर्मा—और अंत में प्रभु नकुलीश कहे गए हैं।

Word by Word

• śvetaḥ: Śveta (name; white)
• śvetaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śveta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (नामरूपेण)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• paraḥ: Para (name; the other/supreme)
• paraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (नाम/उपनामरूपेण)

• śūlī: Śūlī (name)
• śūlī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūlin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इन्-प्रत्ययान्त (trident-bearer; name)

• ḍiṇḍī: Ḍiṇḍī (name)
• ḍiṇḍī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ḍiṇḍin/ḍiṇḍī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (नाम)

• muṇḍī: Muṇḍī (name)
• muṇḍī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muṇḍin/muṇḍī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (नाम)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• kramāt: successively
• kramāt: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण

• sahiṣṇuḥ: Sahiṣṇu (name; patient/enduring)
• sahiṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahiṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (नाम); सह् (धातु) + इष्णु-प्रत्यय (enduring)

• somaśarmā: Somaśarmā (name)
• somaśarmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: somaśarman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: सोम + शर्मन् (Soma-protection/joy; name)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात

• nakulīśaḥ: Nakulīśa (name)
• nakulīśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakulīśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: नकुली + ईश (lord of Nakulī; name)

• antime: in the last
• antime: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: antima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण

• prabhuḥ: the Lord
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष्य-सम्बोधनार्थे/उपपद-विशेषणवत्

Speaker

Traditional Purāṇic narrator (Vyāsa/Sūta-style narration) listing a Śaiva/Pāśupata succession within the Kurma Purana’s syncretic frame

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Śveta
• Para
• Śūlī
• Ḍiṇḍī
• Muṇḍī
• Sahiṣṇu
• Somaśarmā
• Nakulīśa

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Directly, it does not define Ātman; it supports the Purāṇic teaching indirectly by grounding doctrine in an authorized lineage of teachers, culminating in Nakulīśa as a paradigmatic Śaiva master.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific practice is described in this verse; it functions as a paramparā-style enumeration associated with Pāśupata discipline, implying transmission of Śaiva yogic observances through recognized names.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

By embedding a Śaiva/Pāśupata lineage within the Kurma Purana’s Vaiṣṇava setting, it reflects the text’s synthesis: sectarian streams are presented as compatible paths within a broader dharmic unity.